LTAB 2018 SCHEDULE

STAY CONNECTED!

MAY 10

CROSSING THE STREET

CROSSING THE STREET

Art Gallery of Hamilton Fisher Gallery and Pavilion (123 King St W)

9:30 am - 3:30 pm

FEATURED ARTISTS

BRANDON WILLIAMSON

Brandon Williamson was born and raised in Buffalo NY. A proud Fredonia graduate, Brandon has made it his life goal to reach out to students in inner city neighborhoods similar to the one he grew up in, painting a path for them to follow to their future. In this process, Brandon spent time as a high school teacher before creating the Pure Ink Poetry Slam. As the only monthly running poetry slam in Buffalo, the Pure Ink Poetry Slam caters to the community of poets in the area, as well as authors, musicians, dancers, and comedians. Brandon works hard to build a community of art that everyone can be a part of. He has performed, competed, and won poetry slams and been featured throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ontario, Michigan, and California. His book, Critical Lens is on sale at Amazon and lulu.com.

BRANDON WINT

Brandon Wint is a nationally acclaimed poet, spoken word artist and arts educator based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Brandon’s work as a writer exemplifies a deep attention to the craft of poetry, the nuances of language, and the social power of words. As a performer, Brandon Wint displays the poise, passion and spiritual generosity of one who has graced stages across the country at music festivals, conferences, universities and grassroots events alike. Brandon is a poet whose work has garnered praise and attention in a variety of mediums. He is a two-time Canadian national poetry slam champion. In print, he is the author of one chapbook, Love, Our Master (In/Words Magazine and Press, 2014) and was a contributor to the only comprehensive anthology of Black Canadian poetry, The Great Black North (Frontenac House, 2012). Brandon has also released three recording projects, including Devotion EP (2015), The Long Walk Home (2016), and his most recent album, Infinite Mercies, which he showcased at the second annual Black Arts Matter festival in February of 2018. Infinite Mercies is a collection of fourteen incredibly personal poems which, together, represent the most honest work of Brandon Wint’s career. The poems explore the happenstance of human life, the urgency and resilience of Black Canadian experience, and the need to celebrate life’s merciful andsometimes-miraculous nature. The intimacy, imagery and nuance of Brandon Wint’s poetry borrows virtues from his greatest poetic influences: Dionne Brand, Leonard Cohen and Michael Ondaatje. Infinite Mercies also features fifteen original compositions by Edmonton-based pianist Rebecca Parsons. The album is a remarkable labour of love that reflects the realities of pain, confusion and growth Brandon experienced in the nearly two-year process of its completion. Infinite Mercies is an album that puts the raw, human spirit on display through the use of refined poetic language and gorgeous classical compositions.

CHARLIE C PETCH

Charlie C Petch is an award-winning playwright, spoken word artist, haiku deathmaster, host and musical saw player. Petch is touring two spoken word theatre pieces, their multimedia piece "Daughter Of Geppetto and their vaudeville play "Mel Malarkey Gets the Bum's Rush" which got "Best of 2017" from Electric City Magazine for the radio play accompanying album "Odes & Acts". They have published books with WordPress and LyricalMyrical and poems with Descant, The Toronto Quarterly, Matrix and Oratorealis journals. Petch is the creative director of "Hot Damn It's A Queer Slam" a multi-city touring poetry slam series.

Crossing the Street is the annual kickoff event for Louder Than A Bomb Canada 2018. This event is mandatory for all competing youth during the entire festival. High school and university teams, having prepared during the year for the competition, gather to write alongside their peers for a day of poetry, art, performance, and community-building; tearing down our arbitrary borders and build together as one city that ripples across the province. The public is invited to attend this event, write alongside performers, and partake in a day of creation and performance. Guest performances and further programming to be announced.

MAY 11

KIDS CRAWL +

WILD STYLE

WILD STYLE

Art Gallery of Hamilton (123 King St W)

7:30 pm - 10:30 pm

Wild Style is an individual style slam competition open to High School and University students! Poets compete head to head - no mic, no stage - to battle through a multi-round poetry slam for a cash pot. Winners will be determined by audience applause. Wild Style is the chance for individual slammers to show the breadth and depth of their poetic skills. Whether you are an emcee or a poet, join us for a head to head battle Royale and see who will be crowned the 2018 Wild Style Champion!

MAY 12

FOR THE CULTURE

HIP HOP DAY

12 pm - 8 pm

A full day dedicated to rap and Hip Hop culture. Join us for panels, and workshops celebrating the elements of Hip Hop! Starting at noon, we will celebrate with an artist panel, graffiti tour, and dance workshop. Starting at 5pm, we dive in to a showcase of up-and-coming emcees who have prepared for 12 weeks to compete in a multi-round cypher with local hip hop celebrity judges determining the city's best young emcee.

Are you an Emcee looking to perform? Email us at coordinator.hamiltonyouthpoets@gmail.com

**please be sure to check here and on our Facebook event page in case of rain!**

Artists and Entrepreneurs Q&A Panel

Join AGH Youth Council as we meet creative professionals, ask questions, and hear their career path stories! The Afternoon will begin with a Panel Discussion consisting of 5 or more professionals who will share their experience working in a creative scene. Afterwards, Artists and Creative Professionals will be available for more casual time of mingling, answering questions, and showcasing their work. This panel is FREE and open to all ages! AGH Youth Council is generously supported by RBC.

GRAFFITI TOUR

Meet at the AGH at 2PM for an awesome tour including some of downtown Hamilton's coolest graffiti and a special visit to Lester Coloma's studio space!

DANCE WORKSHOP

3-5pm at Hamilton Artists Inc. (155 James St N)

Hosted by Josh Taylor and Defining Movements Dance (DMD).

DMD is Hamilton’s FIRSTHip-Hop focused dance studio, where students of all ages can learn the fundamentals and different styles of Hip-Hop, Urban Dance, and Breakdance. We also offer programs in Latin dances (Salsa, NY Style Salsa, Cha-Cha &. Hustle), Ballroom Dance.

At DMD the emphasis is on dance, and not competition. We believe EveryBODY Can Dance! We are built to move, and through dance people can grow in all aspects of their lives.

MAY 13

MUM'S DAY SERVICE

MUM'S DAY SERVICE

Art Gallery of Hamilton (123 King St W.)

1pm-4pm

In partnership with the Art Gallery of Hamilton (AGH), HYP is proud to present Mum’s Day! Whether protecting or pampering, loving or coddling, mothers tend to occupy a mythic space. We see them as creators, goddess-like beings who nourish and mend. Over time, we have to learn how to see them as real people with their own histories, challenges, and needs. This event will be an afternoon spent in celebration of our mothers! Bring your mom out to the Gallery, and treat yourselves to High Tea beverages and snacks, and performances of spoken word poetry and live music. Be part of a space of gratitude and conversation, honouring motherhood, and all the things mothers have sacrificed and taught us.

IAN KETEKU (HOST)

Photo by Jason Hennessy

Ian Keteku is a poet, multi-media artist and educator. Keteku is also the 2010 World Poetry Slam Champion and is committed to using words as both an interpretation and cure for the human condition. He conducts poetry, writing and performance workshops for students of all ages, inspiring people to accept the power of their own voice.

BRANDON WINT

Brandon Wint is a nationally acclaimed poet, spoken word artist and arts educator based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Brandon’s work as a writer exemplifies a deep attention to the craft of poetry, the nuances of language, and the social power of words. As a performer, Brandon Wint displays the poise, passion and spiritual generosity of one who has graced stages across the country at music festivals, conferences, universities and grassroots events alike. Brandon is a poet whose work has garnered praise and attention in a variety of mediums. He is a two-time Canadian national poetry slam champion. In print, he is the author of one chapbook, Love, Our Master (In/Words Magazine and Press, 2014) and was a contributor to the only comprehensive anthology of Black Canadian poetry, The Great Black North (Frontenac House, 2012). Brandon has also released three recording projects, including Devotion EP (2015), The Long Walk Home (2016), and his most recent album, Infinite Mercies, which he showcased at the second annual Black Arts Matter festival in February of 2018.Infinite Mercies is a collection of fourteen incredibly personal poems which, together, represent the most honest work of Brandon Wint’s career. The poems explore the happenstance of human life, the urgency and resilience of Black Canadian experience, and the need to celebrate life’s merciful and sometimes-miraculous nature. The intimacy, imagery and nuance of Brandon Wint’s poetry borrows virtues from his greatest poetic influences: Dionne Brand, Leonard Cohen and Michael Ondaatje. Infinite Mercies also features fifteen original compositions by Edmonton-based pianist Rebecca Parsons. The album is a remarkable labour of love that reflects the realities of pain, confusion and growth Brandon experienced in the nearly two-year process of its completion. Infinite Mercies is an album that puts the raw, human spirit on display through the use of refined poetic language and gorgeous classical compositions.

JASMINE BARBER

Jasmine Barber, also known as the rapper J Bambii, is a Tarot Reader, Educator, Artist, Cartoon Lover, Sagittarius, and self-proclaimed Alien from the Southside of Chicago. Jasmine has performed for Second City, Steppenwolf, Common, Angela Davis, in addition to becoming the 2013 Louder than A Bomb Indy College Slam Champ. She is also the Curator and Founder of The Brown Skin Lady Show. Jasmine is currently working on a children's book and rap tape entitled "Tea Time With Dragons".

WITCH PROPHET

Photo by: Brianna Roye

Witch Prophet is an evolution of Toronto based, Ethiopian/Eritrean singer/songwriter Ayo Leilani. A soundscape of vocal layers, loops and harmonies on a bed of hip-hop, jazz and soul-inspired beats.

She has shared the stage with and opened for acts like TheeSatisfaction, Shabazz Palaces, Lido Pimienta, Diana King, Shad, Njena Reddd Foxxx, The Cliks, Rae Spoon, Zaki Ibrahim, Kae Sun, Clairmont The Second, and Michie Mee.

Her solo EPs “H.P.B”, and "Architect of Heartbreak Remixes" were met with great praise when released fall of 2016 and spring of 2017. Her highly anticipated album “The Golden Octave” is due May, 18th 2018.

CHUKKY IBE

Poet, politico,Philanthropist, Common sense enthusiast. Chukky is local in Hamilton and Lagos. He writes about the truths we are to brave to confront. He is a resident poet with the Hamilton Youth Poets, a play write, and essayist, he will be performing from his collection. "Its really nice to meet you"

BONNIE HAMILTON

Bonnie Hamilton’s life has been a musical journey – from studying

classical piano with the Royal Conservatory of Toronto from the age of three, performing in churches, to playing live throughout Hamilton, Toronto, and surrounding areas from styles ranging from jazz, ska, andoriginal world music bands like Son Sol, the Alan Cross-approved “The Hippy Mafia” with Manchester, UK band The Happy Mondays’ drummer Gaz Whelan), and Hip Hop group Canadian winter.

She wrote and recorded her first song on a SLICE TV reality show.

Weary from her musical travels and with a desire to find her ownauthentic voice – a musical home – she has immersed herself in the Hamilton music scene, writing and recording with many different artists and producers as she could.

She has currently just finished her first solo EP and is working on releasing her first album.

MAY 14

HIGH SCHOOL PRELIMINARIES

HIGH SCHOOL PRELIMINARIES

Art Gallery of Hamilton (123 King St W)

10 am - 3 pm

Come and witness young writers duke it out through competitive spoken word poetry in the format of an Olympic-style "poetry slam." Audiences have the opportunity to act as judges as we bear witness to the young voices and stories of our city. Each competing team competes in 2 preliminary bouts. Each bout consists of 3 individual rounds and one team round. Qualifying teams and individuals will advance in the competition.

Participating Schools:

Saltfleet

Cathedral

Ancaster

Sir John A. MacDonald

Delta

Waterdown

Bishop Ryan

Glendale

MAY 15

MIDDLE SCHOOL PRELIMINARIES

Middle School Preliminaries

Art Gallery of Hamilton (123 King St W)

9:30am-2:30pm

This year, 9 middle schools have engaged in the poetic craft of writing, performance and story-telling, better known as the poetry slam. The programming culminates to a friendly competition style event.

Each school team will compete in two preliminary bouts. Our Middle School champion will be decided based on cumulative scores from the two preliminary bouts.

Participating Schools:

Mount Hope

Billy Green

Memorial City

Lawfield

Pauline Johnson

W.H. Ballard

Prince of Wales

Queen Victoria

MAY 16

QUEERIOSITY

QUEERIOSITY

Art Gallery of Hamilton

2pm-10pm

Queeriosity is a performance showcase dedicated to voices who are reshaping the conversation about sexuality, identity, and community. The event is a safe space for LGBTQ artists to speak their truths to a supportive audience and allows emerging artists to collaborate with established artists in a cultural forum of stories and perspectives.

WORKSHOP: 2-4:30PM @ AGH with Charlie C Petch

SALON: 4:30PM - 6PM with all of our feature artists

SHOWCASE: 6PM - 9PM featuring our guest artists, middle, and high school students

CHARLIE C PETCH

Charlie C Petch is an award-winning playwright, spoken word artist, haiku deathmaster, host and musical saw player. Petch is touring two spoken word theatre pieces, their multimedia piece "Daughter Of Geppetto and their vaudeville play "Mel Malarkey Gets the Bum's Rush" which got "Best of 2017" from Electric City Magazine for the radio play accompanying album "Odes & Acts". They have published books with WordPress and LyricalMyrical and poems with Descant, The Toronto Quarterly, Matrix and Oratorealis journals. Petch is the creative director of "Hot Damn It's A Queer Slam" a multi-city touring poetry slam series.

GWEN BENAWAY

Gwen Benaway is of Anishinaabe and Métis descent. She has published two collections of poetry, Ceremonies for the Dead and Passage. Her third collection, Holy Wild, is forthcoming in fall 2018. A Two-Spirited Trans poet, she has been described as the spiritual love child of Tomson Highway and Anne Sexton. She has received many distinctions and awards, including the Dayne Ogilvie Honour of Distinction for Emerging Queer Authors from the Writer's Trust of Canada. Her poetry and essays have been published in national publications and anthologies, including The Globe and Mail, Maclean's Magazine, CBC Arts, and many others. She was born in Wingham, Ontario and currently resides in Toronto, Ontario.

NATALIE WEE

Natalie Wee is the author of Our Bodies & Other Fine Machines (Words Dance Publishing, 2016). Her work has been published or is forthcoming in Drunken Boat, Asian American Writers' Workshop, Prairie Schooner, The Adroit Journal, and more. She has been nominated for the Best of the Net Anthology and two Pushcart Prizes. Born in Singapore to Malaysian parents of Peranakan descent, she currently resides in Toronto.

ANDRE PREFONTAINE

Andre Prefontaine is an award-winning spoken word artist and poetry slam coach who resides on the traditional land of Tkaronto (Toronto, Ontario) traditional land of the Haudenosaunee, Métis, the territory of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Naation after hitchhiking from his hometown of Calgary, Alberta in the Wichispa Oyade area of the Treaty 7 region, which is traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda. Andre Prefontaine is best known for beingthe first individual to win all three national Canadian poetry slam championships and coach a championship winning team. A graduate of Buddies in Bad Time's 'Young Creators Unit' with his one-man show "(mE)dith Piaf" expanded his horizons into theater. As an arts educator for "Prologue for the Performing Art" he mentors youths throughout the Toronto district board in their journey towards developing voice, performance skills, and confidence. Listed in Metro news as one of "Toronto top young poets" he's a former contortionist with a unique twist on thing.

MAY 17

LTAB 2018 FINALS

FINALS

SCOTTISH RITE

5:30pm-10:30pm

The final four top-scoring high school teams compete for one last time to take home the city championship. A night featuring musical and guest performances, notary guest judges, and the most talented youth poets in the city. Which collective of young writers will take the title of LTABC 2018 Champions back to their community?

FEATURING JAVON JOHNSON:

Merging race and gender theory with comedy, lyricism, and rhyme schemes, Javon Johnson is a renowned and highly awarded slam and spoken word poet. Javon is a three-time national poetry slam champion (2003, 2004, 2017), and in 2005 he placed 3rd, making him one of a handful of poets to make finals three years in a row. After a brief hiatus, he returned to slam, placing 5th in 2011, 4th in 2012, 2nd in 2013, and 7th in the Individual World Poetry Slam championship in 2015. Javon appeared on HBO’sDef Poetry Jam, BET’s Lyric Café, TVOnes Verses & Flow, The Steve Harvey Show, The Arsenio Hall Show, and co-wrote a documentary titled Crossover, which aired on Showtime, in collaboration with the NBA and Nike. One-fifth of the powerhouse collective, Fiveology, Javon is a featured blogger for the Huffington Post and an internationally touring poet. The Los Angeles Times said, “From subject matter, to wordplay to delivery, he is working it out! It's hard not to have good times while watching him have a good time on stage.” Having earned his Ph.D. from Northwestern University, Javon Johnson is an Assistant

Professor of African American Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the Director of African American and African Diaspora Studies. He is the author of Killing Poetry: Blackness and Making of Slam and Spoken Word Communities (Rutgers University Press, 2017), and a co-editor of the forthcoming Towards the End of Chiraq: A Literary Mixtape (Northwestern University Press, 2018).